Delhi High Court has explained through its order dated 8th May 2020 that it will cognizance of urgent cases through videoconferencing and willhear all non-urgent matters only after the lockdown.
Further, in accomplishing operational ease during the lockdown period, the Court generated a new link for the purpose of e-filing unimportant and non-urgent matters and cases. This applies to both fresh as well as pending matters.
“Under advisement, Advocates and litigant(s) in person are informed that a new link (http://dhcefiling.nic.in:8080/DHC_NONURG/) has been created to enable non-urgent, i.e., ordinary filing, in this Court both in fresh as well as pending matters.” The Registrar General of the Delhi High Court stated in the order.
The order published on 8th May 2020 and signed by the Registrar General Manoj Jain, enunciates that the matters filed online will be heard only after the lockdown in India has been lifted unless of course otherwise directed.
“The filings made by taking recourse to the aforesaid link will be taken up for scrutiny only after the lockdown is lifted unless otherwise directed. Once these filings are taken up for scrutiny, the concerned Advocates or litigant(s) in person will be informed as to whether or not the filings contained any objection(s).” states the order of the High Court.
Additionally, it also mentions that litigants and advocates can take recourse to the designated counters of e-filing set up for the purpose aforementioned at the Delhi High Court and the District Court Complexes ( including Tis Hazari, Patiala House, Karkardooma, Rohini, Dwarka, Saket, and Rouse Avenue) and also explains the method of filing tobe followed by lawyers during the said period.
Remarkably, the order of the court declares that until the lockdown remains in force, the scanning facilities available for the e-filing purpose will be made available free of cost.
In other updates, the Delhi High Court on 4th May 2020 asked the Delhi government to make sure that reports of test samples should be provided within 24 to 48 hours and directed it to frequently update its website to indicate the accurate number of tests that are being conducted to detect coronavirus cases in the capital city after hearing a plea filed by Advocate Rakesh Malhotra.
Delhi continues to be a victim of the pandemic, with 6,318 confirmed cases of the virus and 68 deaths. With regard to the positive cases, the country almost crossed the 60,000 mark as of 9th May 2020 with 59,662 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,981 deaths throughout the sub-continent.
COVID-19 cases worldwide have reached 4,030,053 as of 9th May 2020 and the death toll has risen to 276,498.
